Verhaalpaal Noord exhibition and Gogme. Hoe Amsterdam een wereldstad werd book
Verhaalpaal Noord is an open-air exhibition, highlighting the often overlooked history of Amsterdam Noord on Overhoeks. Created for Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary in 2025, it features six storytelling poles with three panels each, revealing Noord’s transformation from industrial hub to creative hotspot.
The exhibition is a project by creative studio Zeppa in cooperation with writer Bas Kok. At six locations, the Verhaalpalen mark important historical events or stories, and a website showcases related projects and organizations in Amsterdam-Noord.
The visual identity and the logo are inspired by the layered nature of a city, referencing archaeology, urban development, and the stratified ground beneath us. The design evokes elements of the landscape (water, sky, building, horizon, etc.) and is inspired by Noord’s industrial past, the history of the IJ river, and the area’s green spaces. Together with the colour palette, they reflects Noord’s distinctive raw character.
The Display style of Degular from OH no Type Co. blends in very well with the rest of the identity and Noord’s character, thanks to its angular and contemporary look. The text for the pannels and the subtitles is set in Inter, as this typeface offers greater legibility and is easily adaptable.
Bas Kok also wrote an accompanying book: Gogme, Hoe Amsterdam een wereldstad werd, which covers the complete history of Amsterdam from the year 1000 to the present day. The book design aligns with the exhibition’s visual identity. It uses Lyon Text from Commercial Type for the main text.
